1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an apparatus for introducing tape cassettes or the like and printed supplements into hinged boxes, utilizing a turret rotating on a horizontal axis in step-by-step increments. A hinged box insertion station is positioned vertically below the axis of rotation of the head and into which the tape cassettes and supplements are fed. A cassette and supplement insertion station is positioned horizontally in the plane of the axis of rotation into which a tape cassette and a supplement are inserted into an at least partially opened hinged box. An ejection station is positioned essentially horizontally in the plane of the axis of rotation of the turret and is offset relative to the cassette and supplement insertion station.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An apparatus for introducing tape cassettes and supplements into hinged boxes is known from DE-OS No. 23 33 506 wherein hinged boxes are held clamped in the rotating head in compartments. After the individual hinged boxes have been accepted within a compartment of the rotary head, they are opened by a ram disposed outside the rotary head in the direction of rotation for insertion of the individual hinged boxes into the compartments. The ram presses against an end wall of the lower part of the hinged box and restrains the lower part at the rotational step of the turret. Consequently, the hinged box is opened to such a degree that the lower part of the hinged box is abutted against the wall of the compartment extending obliquely back from the radius at an acute angle in the direction of rotation. Subsequently, first the supplements and then the cassettes are inserted into the hinged box which is half opened as mentioned previously in two separate work stations whereupon the hinged box is then rotated further and is sent to a closing means disposed outside of the rotary head and is closed there. The overall consequence is that the rotary head must be stopped a total of twelve times during one revolution. The number of stations in which work steps must be executed not only involves the necessity of considerable disruptions in operations, but the manner in which the hinge boxes are merely held at their covers by means of clamping fingers also involves the inherent danger that the hinged boxes will slide out of their compartments. Thus, the known apparatus is subject to disruptions whereby it is also difficult to vary the type of supplement to be inserted or the number of supplements to be provided with an individual cassette since adequate positioning possibilities at the circumference of the rotary head are not available for this purpose.
An apparatus for introducing tape cassettes or the like and supplements into hinged boxes is also shown in DE-OS No. 27 37 196, (U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,027) the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This apparatus has proved itself in practice and provides a turret which rotates on a vertical axis of rotation. Holding means for the cassettes are essentially tangentially disposed in such manner that the lower part of the hinged boxes lies in the holding means of a tangential plane relative to the axis of rotation of the turret, whereby the covers of the hinged boxes can be pivoted around pivotal axes lying in a tangential plane by means of devices provided for this purpose. The permissive variation with respect to the introduction of various supplements is not as great as would be desirable and it is desirable to improve the cycle speed of the apparatus with reduced outlay.